Ubisoft is focusing on games that are always online

Next-generation consoles may have already abandoned their plans for required online connections, but Ubisoft hasn't necessarily. Its short-term strategy gravitates toward open-world games, and with that comes the supposed need for constant Internet connections.

Julian Gerighty, a creative director at Ubisoft, told Polygon about the company's creative process. According to Gerighty, every Ubisoft title has a meeting with the editorial department, which helps to highlight systems that may work best for the game. Right now, this department is deeply passionate about open-world experiences. It's the reason that the likes of Assassin's Creed IV, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy's The Division will all share similar open-world characteristics.

Alongside the enthusiastic drive toward open-world games comes the company's aspiration of blending the single- and multiplayer experiences, which more or less will require a constant Internet connection. Gerighty believes that this is the way to achieve "open, living worlds," and that the entire industry will move in this direction soon enough.